This directory contains Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) for PyAtari.

ADRs capture architectural decisions that materially affect emulator behavior, code structure, or long-term maintenance. They are intentionally short and written for future contributors who need to understand why a decision was made, not just what changed.

Each ADR uses this naming pattern:

• NNNN-short-title.md

Where:

• NNNN is a zero-padded sequence number
• short-title is a concise kebab-case summary

• Status
• Context
• Decision
• Consequences

Optional sections are fine when they add clarity, but the goal is a readable record rather than a template exercise.

• 0001-real-rom-boot-without-synthetic-shell
• 0002-performance-benchmarking-and-hot-path-optimizations
• 0003-gtia-rendering-hot-path-optimizations
• 0004-player-missile-and-text-mode-rendering-optimizations
• 0005-text-mode-memory-access-optimizations
• 0006-pm-dirty-flags-fill-row-rom-check-pixel-cache
• 0007-cpu-packed-status-byte-dispatch-table-stack-bypass
• 0008-numpy-framebuffer-memory-handler-list-clock-inline
• 0009-text-scanline-cache-and-pixel-table
• 0010-inverse-text-cursor-and-scanline-render-gating
• 0011-line-relative-text-scanline-rendering